The Prestige Collection was four years in the making by Fleetwood Paints. Niamh Devereux chats with Karena Hyland, Research and Development Manager at Fleetwood Paints to find out more
To create Prestige by Fleetwood, it took hundreds of versions of the formulation. Can you tell us a bit more about that journey?
Research and Development is all about challenge, curiosity and discovery, so my team and I were so excited to have been tasked with bringing this project to life. Prestige was designed to have a most satisfying experience for both decorator and consumer. Consistent rheology, flow and levelling with outstanding opacity makes it a pleasure to use for the applicator, while its exceptionally low gloss level gives a flawless finish and true depth of colour for clients. Prestige Paint also has Class 1 superior wet scrub resistance, is stain resistant and burnish resistant. Some of the testing procedures can take anywhere from 24 hrs to 28 days, hence the lengthy term from concept to final delivery, ensuring every box was ticked along the way.
The range is described as Fleetwood’s “finest paint”. What is it about the Prestige range that earns that title?
Like everything architectural, decorative paints have strengths and weaknesses. Some have good covering power but poor durability, some with good scrubbability but poor stain resistance. There is usually a trade-off to keep costs low, but with Prestige paint we spared nothing. We worked with raw material suppliers who have evidence-based results on their products. Our adhesion-promoted acrylic system was designed specifically for Prestige paint along with blend of fine particle size pigments to give the perfect light scattering for unique depth of colour. Most paints look the same in a can, but Prestige stands out with its exceptionally smooth, creamy texture – you just want to use it. Prestige brings its own atmosphere and contributes greatly to the entire ambience and feeling in a room; it brings emotion and connection.
We are so intrigued to hear about the innovative Prestige Air-Purifying Scrubbable Matt paint; can you explain this more?
There are significantly higher levels of pollutants in indoor air than in the outdoor atmosphere and we wanted to bring health benefits to our living spaces such as our homes, our children’s schools, hotels and commercial spaces through our paint. The most prevalent VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the air are aldehydes. Sources can be from everyday items, that we don’t realise can contain these harmful substances. These can range from furniture and cabinets made of chip board/adhesives/PVC and pre-finished flooring to household cleaning products and open stoves, heaters, or cigarette smoke. Prestige paint is approved A+ Indoor Air Comfort Gold; it not only emits very low VOC but it also has VOC remediation. With outstanding indoor air purification, through proven technology tested in Eurofins European Laboratory, Prestige not only looks great on your wall but is working behind the scenes to make the air you breathe cleaner. A win-win situation!
The range is in collaboration with internationally renowned designers Arlene McIntyre and Róisín Lafferty. What was that experience like?
It was such a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside Arlene and Róisínand to blend their requirements and expressions into the paint. It was a first for me to work so closely on a project with designers. The collaboration worked very well for the Fleetwood team to gain insight into what qualities that interior designers look for, and the aspects they want to see. Although different styles, their visions both complimented each other and the finished product.
The Core Collection in the Prestige range features 60 expertly curated colours. Some are classics, some are brand-new hues. Tell us a bit more.
We wanted to create a palette of colours that complement Irish design and Irish light. Both are unique and should be celebrated. Some of the colours we have been using in our collections for the last five years; they are so popular they are already woven into Irish interior design through the country. To complement these, we spoke with many of the local interior designers we work closely with, to find colours that they were recommending to their clients, and would work in harmony with the rest of the collection. The effect colours have on the way we live and on our moods is well thought out, but the effect the Irish light and climate have on colours can be forgotten about. We wanted to make sure that this collection brought all of that together.
How would you describe the shades Róisín and Arlene came up for their collections within the range?
I describe them as subtle but distinctive. Both their palettes are stunning; the only difficulty I have is in not having enough rooms in my house to use all the colours I love! They are very versatile in that they can be used in your home and also commercial spaces such as hotels and restaurants.
Do you have any personal favourite shades from the Prestige range?
My three current favourites are: Seafoam: a subtle blue with hints of green, a colour that changes it appearance throughout the day. Beach: a warm off-white that can be used in any room of the house, it is so versatile. And, Boujee: a rich blush pink and I love saying the name! It’s just a stunning colour that oozes warmth.
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